THE HAWFINCH AS A DURHAM BIRD. 



J. W. FAWCETT, 

 Sat ley Grange, Toiv LaiV, Author of' The. Birds of Durham ,' etc. 



There seems to be a number of birds which are annually 

 increasing" and making' their way further northwards during- 

 the breeding season. Of these are the Hawfinch, the Pied 

 Flycatcher, the Starling-, and the Stockdove. The Hawfinch 

 {Coccothraustes vulgaris) w as formerly only a rare casual visitant 

 to the county of. Durham, but as years rolled on it became an 

 autumn and winter visitant. Now, however, it can be claimed 

 as a resident. Mr. Selby, in his Catalogue of Birds published 

 in 1 83 1 . states that 4 two specimens were some time ag-o shot 

 near Stockton-upon-Tees, ' and Mr. Hancock, in his catalogue 

 published in 1874, states that he had three examples which were 

 shot in Streatlam Park ; one many years since, and two, a male 

 and female, in the winter of 1837.' He also states that it had 

 not been known to have bred in either Durham or Northumber- 

 land. Since the early eighties, however, it has become more 

 frequent. In 18.80, 1881, and 1882 one or two were seen in 

 October and November of each year in this county. In 1883, 

 however, two pairs at least were found nesting- in Northumber- 

 land, one nest and eg-gs of which were unfortunately taken, and 

 in the same year specimens were seen in July in Durham in 

 gardens in two separate localities (in the lower Derwent and 

 in Teesdale), feeding on green peas, and it is probable that they 

 nested that year in this count). Four examples were also shot 

 at Middleton-in-Teesdale in the autumn of 1883. ^ n 1884 they 

 nested in Axwell Park, in the lower Derwent Valley, and one, if 

 not two, nests and eggs weie taken by eg-g-hunters. They 

 were also seen in the Ravensworth and Gibside woods in the 

 same year, and probably bred. In 1885 they were seen at 

 Axwell in March and April, and bred during the year in that 

 locality, at least four separate nests being known, of which tw o 

 nests, with five eggs each, were taken in May. The birds 

 nested in fir trees at an elevation of about thirty feet. A pair 

 nested at Middleton-in-Teesdale in June of the same year, and 

 in the following month a male and a young bird (apparently not 

 long out of the nest) were shot in that district, and were 

 probably part of the family that hied there. In 1SS0 the 

 Hawfinch again nested in the Derwent Valley in Axwell Park, 

 where at least two broods were hatched, and also in a wood on 



1900 April 3. • H 



